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The Fast Breeder Reactor Fuel Cycle in Europe—Present Status and Prospects

Jean Mégy, Robert Harold Allardice, Klaus Ebert, Jean-Marie Morelle, Paolo Venditti

Nuclear Technology / Volume 88 / Number 3 / December 1989 / Pages 283-289

Technical Paper / Fuel Cycle / dx.doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A34310

The European experience with the fast breeder reactor (FBR) fuel cycle covers >20 yr of work, and considerable experience with fuel fabrication has been accumulated. The existing facilities in Europe, with minor adaptations, are adequate to manufacture all the fuel required for European FBRs up to the end of this century. The feasibility of FBR fuel reprocessing has been widely demonstrated in European facilities at significant scale. Research and development is proceeding on all aspects of reprocessing and the two European pilot plants (Dounreay and Marcoule) are invaluable tools for supporting the design of an industrial-scale reprocessing plant.